It requires less character to discover the faults of others, than to tolerate them.

"It requires less character to discover the faults of others, than to tolerate them." - J. Petit Senn

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough."
 -Mae West

Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don't need to escape from."

"Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don't need to escape from."
-- Seth Godin

Definite goal, means to achieve, adjust all means to that end

“First, have a definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends; wisdom, money, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end.” -- Aristotle

Real difficulties can be overcome; it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable.

"Real difficulties can be overcome; it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable." -- Theodore N. Vail

A discovery is said to be an accident meeting a prepared mind.

"A discovery is said to be an accident meeting a prepared mind."

-- Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

A man needs a little madness or else he never dares to cut the rope & be free.

"A man needs a little madness or else he never dares to cut the rope & be free."

-- Nikos Kazantazkis

To be alive is to be vulnerable.

"When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability. To be alive is to be vulnerable."

- Madeleine L'Engle

If you are not part of the solution, you are still in the problem.

"If you are not part of the solution, you are still in the problem." -- Bill Wilson

Real genius couples vision with disciple and focus.

"Real genius couples vision with disciple and focus."
- Dr. Patrick Carnes

We wait all these years to find someone who understands us, I thought...

"We wait all these years to find someone who understands us, I thought; someone who accepts us as we are, someone with a wizard's power to melt stone to sunlight, who can bring us happiness in spite of trials, who can face the dragons in the night, who can transform us into the soul we choose to be. Just yesterday I found that magical someone in the face we see in the mirror: It's us and our homemade masks."

- Richard Bach

Fear No More

Today's thought from Hazelden is:
Fear No More
I will not fear those who have hurt me,
For You have given me power.
I shall sleep without nightmares;
You have given me peace.
I shall awaken with a clear and rested mind;
You have given me clarity.
I shall start my day happy, joyous, and free;
You have given me my recovery;You have given me a new life.
For Your grace,
I will demonstrate my gratitude
In useful and positive action
Throughout this day.

The 12 Step Prayer Book Volume 2 by Bill P. and Lisa D.

To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful.

"To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful."
- Edward R. Murrow

True love exists when you can be fully who you are in the other's presence, even if it means you want to dance.

"True love exists when you can be fully who you are in the other's presence, even if it means you want to dance."
--Dr. Patrick Carnes, Recovery Zone, Vol. 1 (pg 172)

Only that in you which is me can hear what I'm saying.

"Only that in you which is me can hear what I'm saying."
-- Ram Dass

Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work.

"The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work."
-- Oprah Winfrey

Money will buy you a bed, but not a good night's sleep, a house but not a home, a companion but not a friend.

"Money will buy you a bed, but not a good night's sleep, a house but not a home, a companion but not a friend."
-- Zig Ziglar

Because of indifference, one dies before one actually dies

"Because of indifference, one dies before one actually dies."
-- Elie Wiesel

Don't criticize what you can't understand.

"Don't criticize what you can't understand."
-- Bob Dylan

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take... Take the shot...

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take... Take the shot..."

If abortion is murder, then a blowjob is cannibalism and shouldn't condoms be considered kidnapping?

"If abortion is murder, then a blowjob is cannibalism and shouldn't condoms be considered kidnapping?"
-- CawkBlawker from POF.com

I will love you no matter what.

"I will love you no matter what. I will love you if you are stupid, if you slip and fall on your face, if you do the wrong thing, if you make mistakes, if you behave like a human being - I will love you no matter."
-- Leo Buscaglia

I cannot trust a man to control others who cannot control himself.

"I cannot trust a man to control others who cannot control himself."
-- Robert E. Lee

90% of all those who fail are not actually defeated. They simply quit.

"90% of all those who fail are not actually defeated. They simply quit."
-- Paul J. Meyer

The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.

"The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams."
-- Oprah Winfrey

If you want to reach a state of bliss, then go beyond your ego and the internal dialogue.

"If you want to reach a state of bliss, then go beyond your ego and the internal dialogue. Make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved, and the need to judge. Those are the three things the ego is doing all the time. It's very important to be aware of them every time they come up.”
-- Deepak Chopra

Don't cook. Don't clean. No man will ever make love to a woman because she waxed the linoleum

Don't cook.  Don't clean.  No man will ever make love to a woman because she waxed the linoleum - "My God, the floor's immaculate.  Lie down, you hot bitch."
~ Joan Rivers

Failure is the path of least persistence.

"Failure is the path of least persistence."
-- George M. Van Valkenburg, Jr. 

Faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death.

"Faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death."

-- Hunter S. Thompson

That which does not kill us makes us stronger.

"That which does not kill us makes us stronger."

~Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900),19th-century German philosopher.

I wondered why somebody didn't do something. Then I realized, I am somebody.

"I wondered why somebody didn't do something. Then I realized, I am somebody."

-- Author Unknown

Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about.

"Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about."
-- Oscar Wilde

Stop over analyzing, life is simple.

This is your life. Do what you love and do it often. If you don't like something, change it. If you don't like your job, quit. If you don't have enough time, stop watching TV. If you are looking for the love of your life, stop; they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love. Stop over analyzing, life is simple. All emotions are beautiful. When you eat, appreciate every last bite. Open your mind, arms, and heart to new things and people, we are united in our differences. Ask the next person you see what their passion is, and share your inspiring dream with them. Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself. Some opportunities only come once, seize them. Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them, so go out and start creating. Life is short. Live your dream and share your passion.

It feels as if there are two dogs fighting in my heart...

A monk went to his master and said, "Master, it feels as if there are two dogs fighting in my heart. One is for all that is good in me. The other is for all that is evil. Master, tell me which dog will win?" The Master answered, "The dog that you feed."

Religion is like a penis.

"Religion is like a penis. It's fine to have one. It's fine to be proud of it. But please don't whip it out in public and start waving it around. And PLEASE don't try to shove it down my children's throats."
-- Robert Wilkinson (https://twitter.com/#!/BlotterMonkey)

YOUR MOVE. Life is a gameboard. Time is your opponent. If you procrastinate, you will lose the game. You must make a move to be victorious.

"YOUR MOVE. Life is a gameboard. Time is your opponent. If you procrastinate, you will lose the game. You must make a move to be victorious."

-- Napoleon Hill (1883 – 1970) American author who was one of the earliest producers of the modern genre of personal-success literature.

I love you, and because I love you, I would sooner have you hate me for telling you the truth than adore me for telling you lies.

"I love you, and because I love you, I would sooner have you hate me for telling you the truth than adore me for telling you lies."

-- Pietro Aretino

When we accept or even welcome automobile checkpoints, random searches, mandatory identification cards, and paramilitary police in our streets, we hav

“Liberty is lost through complacency and a subservient mindset. When we accept or even welcome automobile checkpoints, random searches, mandatory identification cards, and paramilitary police in our streets, we have lost a vital part of our American heritage. America was born of protest, revolution, and mistrust of government. Subservient societies neither maintain nor deserve freedom for long.”

- Ron Paul, the Front Runner of the GOP and the next President of the USA.

Nurse Reveals the Top Five Regrets People Make on their Deathbed

For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives. People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality.

I learned never to underestimate someone’s capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them.

When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honor at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realize, until they no longer have it.

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again. When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.

Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.

Source: http://wakeup-world.com/2012/02/01/nurse-reveals-the-top-five-regrets-people-make-on-their-deathbed/

If you wanted to change you're the one who has got to change.

"We are taught you must blame your father, your sisters, your brothers, the school, the teachers - but never blame yourself. It's never your fault. But it's always your fault, because if you wanted to change you're the one who has got to change."

-― Katharine Hepburn

I will rise up and break the backbone of your power and place it in the hands of a nation that doesn’t even know my name.

Don’t let anyone make you think God chose America as his divine messianic force, to be a sort of policeman to the whole world. I can hear God saying to America “You are too arrogant. And if you don’t change your ways, I will rise up and break the backbone of your power and place it in the hands of a nation that doesn’t even know my name.”

-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

...to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."

-― Ralph Waldo Emerson

They don't die for the honor and glory of their country. We kill them.

I hate it when they say, "He gave his life for his country." Nobody gives their life for anything. We steal the lives of these kids. We take it away from them. They don't die for the honor and glory of their country. We kill them.

-- Admiral Gene La Rocque

When the deepest pain in you becomes something that helps you to know yourself, your truth, your boundaries, creativity, wisdom, and dreams ~ then...

"When the deepest pain in you becomes something that helps you to know yourself, your truth, your boundaries, creativity, wisdom, and dreams ~ then that pain can become your greatest friend and teacher so that when it shows up it reminds you of who you are, rather than who you are not. It can either take you further away into seeking an external solution because you judge it or feel like a victim to it or it can take you into an internal one because you are giving yourself the gift of your awareness which can transform anything."

-- The Return of the Divine Feminine